Tube entrance seal in refrigerator cabinet



Feb, 26, 1957 o. D. MARTIN 2,783,065

TUBE ENTRANCE SEAL IN REFRIGERATOR CABINET Filed June- 30, 1954 V E I R 5% I INVENTOR.

Omen D. M17

United States Patent TUBE ENTRANCESEAE W'REFRIGERATOR CABINET OwenD. Martin,.-Far-mington,-Mi'ch., assignor to Ameri-v can-Motors Corporation,Detroit,.Mich., a corporation of Maryland Applihation June 30', 1954, Serial'Nb. 440,402"

1 Claim. (Cl. 285129) The present invention pertains to refrigerating apparatus and more particularly to scaling the entrance of tubing, wiring and the like entering into insulated walls of refrigerated cabinets.

It is an object of the present invention to provide in a refrigerator an insulated compartment within which is an evaporator, and a compressor condenser unit located exterior to the insulated compartment whereby the necessary refrigerant conduits connecting the evaporator and compressor-condenser unit pass through the insulated walls and are sealed at the entrance into the insulated wall in such manner that air will not leak around the conduits into the insulation.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an entrance passage into an insulated wall with a nonconducting heat spacer set in the entrance whereby a number of elements, as tubing, wiring, and the like, are arranged by the spacer to pass through the entrance in spaced apart relation and arrangement for filling the spacer with an adhering substance that will seal the air space between elements and spacer, and spacer with entrance passage against air leakage therethrough.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of a refrigerator cabinet with parts broken away and parts shown in section with invention applied;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in cross section taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view in cross section taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of cross section taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the sealing member.

Shown in the drawing is a refrigerator cabinet 12 having a food storage compartment 14. The opening to the compartment 14 is closed by a door 16. The cabinet is formed with an outer shell 18 enclosing in spaced relation an inner liner 20 which forms the walls of the compartment 14. Heat insulation material 22 is placed between the liner 20 and shell 18.

Suspended within the compartment 14 is an evaporator unit 24 which is connected by suitable refrigerant conduits 25, 26 and 27 with a motor-compressor unit 28 and condenser 30. The motor-compressor unit 28 and condenser 30 are positioned exterior to the compartment 14, preferably mounted in suitable space in the cabinet 12 formed on the external side of the shell 18.

Formed in the liner 20 and shell 18 are aligned openings closed by panels 32 and 34 respectively. The insulation 37 between the panels 32 and 34 is removable upon the removal of the panels. The inner panel 32 is secured by screws, not shown, to the liner 20. The outer panel 34 is formed larger in dimension than the 2,783,065 Patented. Feb. 26,, 1951 opening in the shell to overlie theopening to permit secureme ntbyscrews 36; The, peripheralv edge of the panel 34 is formed with an offset. portion. to provide. a groove 38 within which is placed a sealing; substance 40 such as foaming. ninyl or the: like. The sealing, substancev 40*when applied is:- of a paste. like'form of: sulficient plasticity that as thepanel'is' securedto the shell 18 by the screws 3.6'the excess will:flow tdequaIiZerany; great or unusual deformity between panelt and shelL; and thereby provide an air tight sealing arrangement. However it will be obvious that formed, or molded resilient seal-s, such as rubber, or the like may be used.

The panel 34 is formed with an outwardly pressed depression or hollow 42 that co-operatively forms with the shell wall 18 an entrance opening 44 into the insulation of the cabinet wall. The refrigerant tubing or con duits 25, 26 and 27 that operatively connect the evaporator 24 with the compressor unit 28 and condenser 30 is extended through the opening 44. Also extended through this opening are the electrical wires 63 and 64 that operatively connect controls, not shown, with compressor unit 28 and source of power supply. I

Secured in the entrance opening by screws 45 is a closure member or plug 46. The member 46 is preferably moulded to fit the general contour of the opening 44. Side 67 of the member 46 is formed flat to fit against the side wall 18 adjacent the opening, side 68 is radiused to the contour of the panel hollow 42. Formed centrally in the member 46 is a chamber 48 that opens outwardly through the side wall 67. A plurality of recesses 50 notched inwardly from the side 67 extend through the member 46 across the opening to chamber 48. The recesses 50 are formed of various widths to receive a respective refrigerant tubing or wiring. Ex tending longitudinally in the side wall portion 68 is a groove 70. The ends of groove 70 join in open communication with the opening of chamber 48 in side wall 67. A passage 54 leads from groove 68 into the chamber 48.

In the installation of the refrigerant units into the cabinet the refrigerant tubings and electrical wires are passed from the insulation to extend along the outside of the cabinet on the shell wall 18. The tubings and wires are then in fixed position by the securement of plug 46, by screws 45, to the shell wall 18. Each tubing and wire is extended through an individual recess 50 in the plug, except where wires or tubings are bonded together. A sealing compound or mastic 60 is injected through passage 54 into the chamber 48 to fill and flow into the recesses 50 around the tubing and wires. The sealing compound also flows into a recess 62 formed in the shell wall 18 and which extends longitudinally with the member 46. The mastic in recess 62insures a tight sealing bond between shell wall and member 46. The mastic or compound 60 overflows to fill the groove 68 which bonds with the seal 40 carried in the cover panel 34 that is secured to the shell wall 18 by screws 70. The member 46 is received in the hollow 42 as the panel 34 is secured in place.

The present arrangement forms an air tight sealing arrangement for openings through which are extended refrigerant connecting elements, tubing and wiring, as well as maintain each of the connecting elements in a spaced apart relation to prevent objectionable thermal contact or friction therebetween. The arrangement is one that permits the refrigerating units to be readily removable from the cabinet when desired. Upon re-installing the unit the connecting elements may again be easily arranged in proper spaced apart relation and re-sealed by applying added mastic into the plug, and replacing or adding sealing substance on the panel 34. The arrangement permits the same efficient sealing on are-installation as provided on the original installation.

Although only a preferred form of the invention has been illustrated, and that form described in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the appended claim.

In the claim:

In refrigerating apparatus, a cabinet having an opening through a wall thereof for passage of a conduit into the interior of said cabinet and having an adjacent wall, a channel member having one leg thereof overlying and closing said opening and having the ends of both legs engaging said adjacent wall, means holding said channel member to said adjacent wall, recesses in the ends of said legs receiving the conduit, and a sealer filling said channelmember sealing the notches around the conduit and the joints between said channel and adjacent walls of said cabinet.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,789,916 Thornton Jan. 23, 1931 1,829,748 Hofferberth Nov. 3, 1931 1,830,060 Holbrook Nov. 3, 1931 2,515,212 Gifford July 18, 1950 

